Narrative Machines

James Curcio: Artist / Author
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Narrative Machines

A podcast on memetics, myth and propaganda: how our narratives define the limits of our political and personal identity, how any era of civilization may be consigned to myth just as it was defined by it. Drawing on over a decade of interdisciplinary research, this podcast examines how ideas spread through the internet, shaping perceptions, reshaping societal norms, and constructing identities and politics—often without conscious awareness.  By analyzing the narratives we create, consume, and reinterpret, Narrative Machines offers a timely exploration of the influence of narratives, encouraging listeners to reflect on how myths shape their lives, both consciously and unconsciously. Previous drafts of many of these ideas were published in 2017 in Narrative Machines (Mythos Media), in 2020 in Masks: Bowie & Artists of Artifice (Intellect/ University of Chicago), and various web publications. It is presented here in audio format for the first time with additional reflections and editorial.  For more of the author’s work in various mediums and formats, visit JamesCurcio.com You can also find more podcasts and articles about RPGs and collective storytelling at ModernMythology.net

Episodes

  1. Narrative Machines Episode 7: Remembered and Remembered Again

    MAR 24

    Narrative Machines Episode 7: Remembered and Remembered Again

    In Episode 7 of Narrative Machines, "Remembered and Remembered Again," we interrogate the tension between the popular belief in linear societal progress and the inherently cyclical nature of revolution. Using the fall of the Berlin Wall as a symbolic entry point, we explore recurring patterns of upheaval, shifting power dynamics, and enduring social inequalities within revolutionary movements. By examining examples such as Egypt’s Arab Spring and China's Long March, it illustrates how revolutions often ultimately produce outcomes that contradict their original ideals.

  2. Narrative Machines Episode 6: Literally Literary Suicide

    MAR 10

    Narrative Machines Episode 6: Literally Literary Suicide

    Narrative Machines Episode 6, "Literally Literary Suicide," explores the extraordinary life and dramatic death of Japanese literary icon Yukio Mishima. Renowned for intertwining artistry, identity, and nationalist fervor, Mishima's final act—his ritual suicide (Seppuku)—was as performative as it was political. This episode investigates how Mishima's meticulously cultivated persona, intense dedication to aesthetic ideals, and public spectacle blurred reality and fiction, leaving behind unsettling questions about authenticity, fanaticism, and the lethal power of narrative. Examining Mishima's acclaimed works, such as the film Patriotism, and key historical moments, including his failed 1970 coup attempt, this episode offers a critical reflection on the intersection of aesthetics, ideology, and self-sacrifice. "Literally Literary Suicide" challenges listeners to confront uncomfortable questions about commitment to ideas, the allure of martyrdom, and the dangerous seduction of myth.

  3. Narrative Machines Episode 5: Eccentric and Quite Mad

    FEB 17

    Narrative Machines Episode 5: Eccentric and Quite Mad

    David Bowie’s career exemplified the interplay of performance, identity, and mythmaking. Through personas like Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, and the Thin White Duke, Bowie blurred the lines between artifice and reality, crafting an enigmatic, occult-tinged ambiguity that challenged perceptions of authenticity and selfhood. This episode delves into Bowie’s engagement with symbolism and fascist aesthetics during the mid-1970s, posing tough questions about the ethical limits of art and performance. It also examines the broader political implications of such themes, as addressed in episode four. From the glittering glam rock of the early ’70s, through the cocaine-fueled chaos of his occult fascination, to the introspective and reflective Berlin years that followed, Bowie’s shifting artistry reveals an artist grappling with the volatile forces he summoned. By comparing Bowie’s calculated use of artifice to the rise of modern performative figures like Donald Trump and phenomena like Reality TV and the kayfabe of pro wrestling, we explore how spectacle, mythmaking, and image construction shape public narratives in both art and politics.

  4. Narrative Machines Episode 4: Masks All The Way Down

    FEB 7

    Narrative Machines Episode 4: Masks All The Way Down

    Narrative Machines, Episode 4: Masks All The Way Down challenges the notion of identity as a singular, stable essence, instead presenting it as a recursive performance—an interplay of masks, personas, and shifting narratives. From roleplaying games to professional personas, from instinct to artifice, we examine the idea that there is no final, unmasked self—only layers of performance. If identity is constructed through repetition and context, what does that mean for agency? And just as crucially—who is shaping the stage? The episode begins with David Bowie’s prescient reflections on the Internet and anonymity, framing a broader discussion of aesthetic performance as a force in modern political and cultural life. From there, we turn to Yukio Mishima, whose work and life exemplify modern nihilism’s entanglement with theatrical self-creation, foreshadowing the existential crises of the 21st century. Future episodes will explore their respective artistic and ideological trajectories in depth, treating them as case studies in self-mythologizing and narrative control. For now, we take a wide-angle approach, positioning these ideas as a warning against reducing ethics to aesthetics—a concern amplified by AI, social media algorithms, and deepfakes eroding the boundaries of authenticity. The case of Anonymous and their use of the Guy Fawkes mask illustrates how symbols, once fixed in meaning, can be repurposed to forge new collective identities. This phenomenon encapsulates the episode’s central argument: in a world where narratives are weaponized, understanding the layered performance of identity is critical to reclaiming agency. Topics Covered: The Vulgar Nihilism of Our Age: Examines the shared existential void as explored by artists such as Bowie, Mishima, and 20th-century society. Critiques the reduction of ethics to aesthetics. Weaponization of Narrative and the Collapse of Truth: Discusses how propaganda, disinformation, and media manipulation erode a shared consensus reality. Uses the metaphor of ideological “glasses” from They Live to illustrate filtered perceptions of reality. Technology and Narrative Manipulation: Explores the role of AI, social media, and algorithms in reinforcing biases and echo chambers. Highlights the threat posed by deepfakes in blurring the lines between fact and fiction. The Mask as Identity’s Core Symbol: Analyzes masks as representations of the constructed, performative nature of identity. Alternate Reality Games, Roleplaying Games, and a new age of disinformation. Details the reappropriation of the Guy Fawkes mask by Anonymous as a tool for collective narrative. Identity as Performance: Argues that all identities are performances shaped by intersecting social, cultural, and personal narratives, with no singular “true” self. Critical Engagement with Narratives: Calls for a heightened critical awareness in an era of relentless narrative manipulation. Offers strategies to resist control and reclaim agency by scrutinizing the stories that define our reality. Visit Jamescurcio.com/narrative-machines or ModernMythology.net for additional affiliated projects and podcasts.

  5. Narrative Machines Episode 3: With Whose Voice Do We Speak?

    JAN 25

    Narrative Machines Episode 3: With Whose Voice Do We Speak?

    In an era of "post-truth," where narratives vie for dominance in a hyper-capitalist attention economy and even basic facts are contested, Narrative Machines Episode 3, "With Whose Voice Do We Speak?" explores the power of myths and stories in shaping our realities. This episode examines how narratives are wielded for political, ideological, and personal ends, influencing geopolitics, identity, and culture.

  6. Episode 2: Myth is Dead; Long Live Myth

    JAN 7

    Episode 2: Myth is Dead; Long Live Myth

    Episode 2 covers: The tension between the sacred and propaganda, arguing that the sacred cannot be manufactured or controlled. The transformative power of the sacred. The relationship between myths and meaning. We argue that meaning is not inherent in myths but is rather a by-product of our engagement with them, and caution against attempts to codify the meaning of myths, arguing that such attempts are often driven by a desire to appropriate the power of myth for personal gain. Myth is not primarily about conveying meaning in a literal sense. Building on Episode 1's discussion of strange attractors, Episode 2 highlights how myths, like strange attractors, can drive cultural evolution toward specific values and structures. Myth is not something separate from our construction of reality but is rather an integral part of it. The episode begins to examine how myths can be used for political purposes, both for good and for ill, paving the way for further analysis in subsequent episodes. We will explore this much more closely in subsequent episodes. It cautions that authoritarianism, fascism, totalitarianism, etc can exploit the power of myth for their own ends.

    39 min
  7. Episode 1: Foundations

    12/12/2024

    Episode 1: Foundations

    Episode 1 of the Narrative Machines podcast, "Foundations," explores the central role of myth in shaping human perception, identity, and politics, even in a modern age that often rejects the idea of myth.

    34 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

A podcast on memetics, myth and propaganda: how our narratives define the limits of our political and personal identity, how any era of civilization may be consigned to myth just as it was defined by it. Drawing on over a decade of interdisciplinary research, this podcast examines how ideas spread through the internet, shaping perceptions, reshaping societal norms, and constructing identities and politics—often without conscious awareness.  By analyzing the narratives we create, consume, and reinterpret, Narrative Machines offers a timely exploration of the influence of narratives, encouraging listeners to reflect on how myths shape their lives, both consciously and unconsciously. Previous drafts of many of these ideas were published in 2017 in Narrative Machines (Mythos Media), in 2020 in Masks: Bowie & Artists of Artifice (Intellect/ University of Chicago), and various web publications. It is presented here in audio format for the first time with additional reflections and editorial.  For more of the author’s work in various mediums and formats, visit JamesCurcio.com You can also find more podcasts and articles about RPGs and collective storytelling at ModernMythology.net

Information

  • Creator
    James Curcio: Artist / Author
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Narrative Machines

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